"WE doubt if there is a spot in 'merrie England' where
Christmas receives so hearty a welcome, and is 'made so much of,' as in the
old-fashioned 'antient borough of beloved St Ives.' It is often said that
'extremes meet;' but as well might we expect the extremities of Britain--
John o'Groat's and Cape Cornwall--to meet, as that the frolic-loving
descendants of Albion will ever imitate the cold, mountain-nurtured
Caledonians in their observance of Christmas time. For months previous to
the merry-making time, preparations are made for the approaching 'carnival;'
we can assure our readers that never were the real 'carnivals' ushered in
with greater festivities at Rome or Venice, in the zenith of their glory,
than is observed here at Christmas. Were many of the denizens of our large
towns to witness the making up of the scores of 'sugar loaf,'
'three-cocked,' and indescribable-shaped hats, caps, bonnets, bloomer
skirts, leggings, jackets, &c., numberless et ceteras of the most
grotesque and pantomimic character, colour, and shape, which goes on in
October and November, they would imagine there was to be a bal masque
on a large scale, or a pantomime at 'the theatre,' of metropolitan
proportions. But not so, for there is not even a singing-class in the town,
if we except the choirs of the various congregations; and all 'this wilful
waste' of long cloth, scarlet, ringstraked, and speckled, is to do honour to
King Christmas during the twelve nights which intervene 'twixt the birth of
Christmas common and Christmas proper, which said outward manifestations of
honour are known in the neighbourhood as 'Christmas geezze-daancing,' or
guise-dancing; but of this presently. Not only are the 'lovers of pleasure'
on the alert, but the choirs of the different places of worship strive to
'get up' a piece or two to tickle the ears of their hearers on
Christmas-night, and the house that boasts the best 'singing seat' is sure
to be crammed by persons attracted by the twofold advantage of a short
sermon and a good lively tune. A pretty brisk trade is carried on by
children in the retailing unquenched lime, in small quantities to suit the
convenience of purchasers; and few are the domiciles but have had a lick of
the lime brush, either on the wall, window-sill; door-post, or chimney. 'A
slut, indeed,' is she declared who refuses to have a thorough clean out
before Christmas. New shoes and clothes are worn for the first .time on the
great holiday; and woe betide the unlucky Crispin who, by some unaccountable
oversight, has neglected to make Jennifer's bran new shoes, for, her to go
and see how Smart the church is on Christmas-day. As in other parts of
England, a pretty large sum is spent in evergreens, such as holly, or, as it
is called here, 'prickly Christmas,' bays, and laurels. Of mistletoe and
cypress there is very little in the neighbourhood, and the windows of shops
and private dwellings, as well as the parish church, are profusely and
tastefully decorated. As to provisions, there is no lack. Many a flock of
geese has been bespoken and set apart for private customers; whilst the ears
of the grocers, who generally do a supplementary trade in swine's flesh, are
so accustomed to receive a month's notice for 'a nice bit of flea (spare)
rib,' that they are loath to engage any of the porcine fraternity that are
not all rib. The Christmas market is not a mean affair at St Ives; if the
butchers cannot boast of many prize oxen or 'South Downs,' they generally
manage to make the best of their 'home-raised' and well-fed cattle, and the
stalls are 'titivated off' nicely too. This year, however, the inspector of
nuisances, who is also market-toll collector and police constable, sergeant,
and inspector, actually refused to clean, or allow to be cleaned, the St
Ives Market on Tuesday for the Christmas-eve market, because there was no
extra tolls payable for the Christmas markets, and, as may be expected, the
epithets bestowed on him were by no means flattering or complimentary--we
did hear of a suggestion to put the 'gentleman' policeman in an aldermanic
stall on the 5th of next November, or maybe during the guise-dancing.
Tradesmen have for the most part 'cacht their jobs,' and the good house'
wife 'done her churs in season' on Christmas-eve. In many families, a crock
of ' fish and tatees' is discussed in West-Cornwall style before the
'singers' commence their time-honoured carol, 'While Shepherds,' which is
invariably sung to 'the same old tune,' struck by some novice in u
flat. There is usually a host of young men and maidens to accompany the
'singers;' these are composed of the choirs of two or three dissenting
bodies, who chiefly select the members of their respective congregations for
the honour of being disturbed from a sound nap on the eventful morning. The
last two or three years the choirs have done their carolling amongst the
most respectable of the inhabitants on the evening of Christmas-day, after
divine service.

"On Christmas-day the mayor, aldermen, and councillors walk
in pro. cession to church from the house of the mayor for the time being.
The church is, as we have before remarked, gaily decked with evergreens. Two
or three days after the singers make a call 'for something for singing,' the
proceeds, which are pretty handsome, being spent in a substantial supper for
the choir.

"But of the 'guise-dancing,' which has found a last retreat
at St Ives,--this is the only town in the country where the old Cornish
Christmas revelry is kept up with spirit. The guise-dancing time is the
twelve nights after Christmas, i.e., from Christmas-day to
Twelfth-day. Guise-dancing at St Ives is no more nor less than a pantomimic
representation or bal masque on an extensive scale, the performers
outnumbering the audience, who in this case take their stand at the corners
of the streets, which are but badly lighted with gas, and rendered still
more dismal of late years by the closing of the tradesmen's shops after
sunset during this season, on account of the noise and uproar occasioned,
the town being literally given up to a lawless mob, who go about yelling and
hooting in an unearthly manner, itt a tone between a screech and a howl, so
as to render their voices as undistinguishable as their buffoon-looking
dresses. Here a Chinese is exhibiting 'vite mishe' and 'Dutch dops;' there a
turbaned Indian asks you if you 'vant a silver vatch.' A little further on
you meet with a Highlander with 'dops to cure the gout.' The
home-impoverishing packman, or duffer, has also his representative, urging
to be allowed just to leave 'a common low-price dress at an uncommon high
price, and a quartern of his 6s. sloe-leaves of the best quality.' Faithless
swains not infrequently get served out by the friends of the discarded one
at this time, whilst every little peccadillo meets with a just rebuke and
exposure. About eighteen years ago, a party of youngsters, to give more
variety to the sports, constructed a few nice representations of elephants,
horses, and--start not gentle reader--lifelike facsimiles of that
proverbially stupid brute, the ass. For several seasons it was quite a treat
to witness the antics of the self-constituted elephants, horses, and asses,
in the thoroughfares of this little town. On the whole, the character of the
guise-dancing has degenerated very much this last twenty years. It was
formerly the custom for parties to get up a little play, and go from house
to house to recite their droll oddities, and levy contributions on their
hearers in the form of cake or plum-pudding. Wassailing, as far as I can
learn, never obtained much in this neighbourhood. Old Father Christmas and
bold King George were favourite characters. It is not uncommon to see a most
odiously-disguised person with a bedroom utensil, asking the blushing
bystanders if there is 'any need of me.' Some of the dresses are, indeed,
very smart, and even costly; but for the most part they consist of old
clothes, arranged in the oddest manner, even frightfully ugly. It is
dangerous for children, and aged or infirm persons, to venture out after
dark, as the roughs generally are armed with a sweeping-rush or a
shillalagh. The uproar at times is so tremendous as to be only equalled in a
'rale Irish row.' As may be anticipated, these annual diversions have a very
demoralising influence on the young, on account of the licentious nature of
the conversation indulged in, though we really wonder that there are not
many more instances of annoyance and insult than now take place, when we
consider that but for such times as Christmas and St Ives feast, the
inhabitants have no place of amusement, recreation, or public instruction;
there being no library, reading-room, institution, literary or scientific,
or evening class; and unless there is one at the National School room, not a
night school or even a working-men's institution is in the town.

"We should not omit that one of the old customs still
observed is the giving apprentices three clear holidays (not including
Sunday) after Christmas-day, though we hear of attempts being made to lessen
this treat to the youngsters. If we don't wish success to these efforts, we
do desire those should succeed who will endeavour to impart to our rising
population a thorough contempt for guise-dancing and all such unmeaning
buffoonery. There is one thing which must not be overlooked--viz., the few
drunken brawls that occur at such times. Cases of drunkenness certainly
occur, but these are far below the average of towns of its size, the
population being in 1861 (parliamentary limits) 10,354."--St lves:
Correspondent.